


Fascinating

by noconceptoflife



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: (the nott & halas is the unhealthy relationship), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Manipulation, I don't know if Halas is a manipulative charmer in canon but he is now, Lies, Unhealthy Friendship, Unhealthy Relationships, the happy fun ball (archmage's bane)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:22:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21663631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noconceptoflife/pseuds/noconceptoflife
Summary: Nott was full of surprises. Skilled and dextrous. A talent for magic. Smart, in a way few people are. True to her word. A dead woman walking in the wrong body.Halas couldn't wait to pick that apart.
Relationships: Nott & Caleb Widogast, Nott & Halas (critical role)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 49





	1. Misdirection

**Author's Note:**

> Premise: what if Nott followed through on their promise in hopes Halas could change her body?
> 
> Once again unbeta-ed so if you see an error pretend like it isn't there.

Caleb glanced around at the sleeping forms of his friends. Caleb had insisted on the lone watch for this reason, and hoped it was worth the lapse of concentration. He turned the gem in his hands, nervous. If Halas could take any of their bodies, he would have done so by now, right? Caleb was different. He was a wizard, a man, Zemnian, maybe Halas would find him a tempting target. Caleb's eyes fell to the woman next to him, where Nott was stretched out and fast asleep, ankle hooked around his. He relaxed an increment. If Halas did jump into his body Nott would know. The others would know. No one could perfectly hide that they were a totally different person. At least not that fast, not without a lot of thought and practice. 

"I have a request for you." Caleb said. 

Halas' voice was ready in an instant. "I apologize, have we met? I have not connected with any of the men in your party."

Caleb's lips thinned. "My name is Caleb Widogast. I know who you are."

"You sound like home." Halas observed. "Are you... what was the word she used? Zemnian?"

"Ja." Caleb said. "That is me."

"I would speak in my own tongue, but I do not know if you would understand it, if more than eight hundred years have passed." Halas said.

Caleb spoke carefully. "Earlier, when you were speaking with Nott The Brave, what did you tell her about your magic?"

"I answered what she asked, within reason." Halas said. "I told her of magic that might work the same way, but that they weren't as perfect as what I was working on."

"Right. Stop that." Caleb said.

"Oh? Why? Do you doubt me?" Halas asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"I do not trust you, and Nott does not either, but you don't have to trust someone to want something from them. I am working on her problem, tailored specifically for what she wants. This isn't something worth pursuing, but Nott is... stubborn. She will keep pressing it. You do not need to concern yourself with it." Caleb insisted.

"I would hope you are working on it. She seemed rather fixated during our private conversation. After all, she's been in her own gem for a long time, hasn't she?" Halas said.

Caleb stiffened. "Excuse me?"

"She's so sympathetic. I've been in this gem a long time, and she... feels me." Halas sounded bemused. "Sympathetic, but sharp, in a way I haven't seen before. Expressive. Smart. I can tell."

Caleb closed his fist around the ruby so hard his knuckles ached. "Nott is not some kind of thing for you to study, understand?" Caleb hissed.

"Of course I understand, but you must also understand my own curiosity. How does a goblin woman end up with a group such as yours? Where does one like her learn magic? Where does one like her end up being given a direct line to me with no question being asked? She is not your leader, yet she asks questions only one so determined would ask, so what is she to your group? What is she to you as individuals? What are you to her? Why the interest in changing her body? Is it shame? Self-hatred? An attempt at superior espionage? Something even you're not aware of?" Halas' voice was smooth and coaxing. "Don't tell me you wouldn't like to pick that brain."

"I have no need to." Caleb insisted. "She is my best friend, the person I trust the most in the world. I would ask and she would tell me. Unlike you, I do not have to manipulate her."

"Is that so? Are you so sure that she doesn't have her own secret ideas, agendas, plans? As I recall, she was determined to speak to me alone. I would rethink being so sure." Halas chided as if Caleb were a simple schoolboy.

"Nott is a terrible liar. I would know." Caleb dismissed.

"Is she? Would you?" Halas asked.

Caleb stared at the ruby. He knew Nott for a long time, and she never told him about Yeza until months into knowing each other, and that first story was a half-truth wasn't it? He knew Nott for longer still when they went to Felderwin and she swept her son into her arms. A son he knew nothing about, that no one knew anything about. Lies of omission are still lies. Nott had crafted one story for him without even trying, letting everyone assume and think whatever they wanted. Was that intentional? Had Nott forgotten, or was she holding it back? Did she intentionally lie to them, or had she been embarrassed or shamed?

"Your silence is enlightening." Halas chuckled. "You care for her greatly, and you seem sure that she cares for you as well. How much, though? Is it equal? If she found means to change her body outside of you and your group, would she even hesitate? What does she want, specifically?"

"These hypothetical situations don't matter, they won't happen and we'll be fine figuring it out on our own." Caleb dismissed.

"That wasn't a hypothetical. She won't tell me. Do you know why she wants to change her body?" Halas asked.

"Why do you care?" Caleb asked.

"So you don't know, then. I see." Halas made a clicking sound, dismissive and disappointed.

Caleb bristled. "She has told us, it's not something you tell someone just for asking."

Halas continued to muse. "Nott The Brave is a strange name, isn't it? Where is she from?"

"Who knows about the naming conventions of a Felderwin-area goblin clan?" Caleb scoffed. "Now I can tell you're trying to provoke me.”

"Goblins in Felderwin, hm? I've never heard of the place but if the name matches a local language, Goblins are very uncommon in that area. Are you sure she's telling the truth?"

_ Shit _ . "Yes." Caleb gritted out. "I am sure."

"She was quick to pull Jester away from our conversation when she wanted to speak of personal things." Halas continued to muse. "Does she tend to be possessive, then? Does she hide things from you? Is she selfish? Is she pragmatic, or impulsive? Does she think in terms of the group, or in terms of what you can do for her? Or is it the other way around? Does she do all she can for you, in hopes you'll do as she wants? What does she want from you, if she's so forthright about what she wants from me? Does she have habits or mannerisms she hides so as not to be judged? Does she have secrets that might be the end of her? Does she fascinate you? Are you a tool to her? A convenient, warm, kind tool that she's grown fond of? People are quick to replace tools, even if they have... sentimental value."

"Your attempts to anger me are not working." Caleb said.

Halas pressed on. "Would she let me sit her down and figure out what makes her tick? What would she do for me on the chance I would give her exactly what she wants? Would it be the same as she would do for you? Would she even care so long as I made it painless and easy? If it would make her one step closer to her ambition? Do you want to lay her out and dissect her to find out whatever might be in her hidden depths? Do you want to be the focus of her attention in turn?"

"I think we're done here." Caleb said, trying his best to control his voice.

"I hope to find out somehow." Halas chuckled.

"Gods be willing, I'll never let you be alone with her." Caleb said. "That's a promise."

"Do you know her well enough that you know that's what she wants?" Halas asked.

Caleb let go of the gem. He might as well let the snake have the last word, even as Caleb stewed with inner turmoil. He glanced over at Nott, but she was fast asleep. He breathed out, and tucked Halas back into the satchel the bastard was in before.

He laid back down next to Nott, tucking her into his side as he settled down. He would not let Halas plant ideas in his mind against his best friend. His partner. The one person he loved most in the world. The most important person in his life. He didn't have any doubts about her. Halas was just a trapped mine fixating on the only thing that's gotten him stimulation in the past hundreds of years. He would not be turned against her. He went to sleep with his face in her hair, arm wrapped tight around the woman he trusted unquestionably.

Nott waited an hour. When she started hearing Caleb's snores on her head, Nott reached past their intwined bodies. She hooked a finger on the strap of the satchel and started tugging it carefully forwards and around Caleb's body so it was on her side. She pulled the flap open and laid a finger on the glowing ruby.

"There you are, Nott." Halas purred. "Now what were we talking about before? Our deal?"

"We have to wait until we get out of here with your body. I'll do it then, once I know you won't just trap me and my friends in here." Nott whispered. "The others will be very unhappy with me.”

"Some things require sacrifice." Halas said. He was full of little sayings like that, not all that she could agree with. 

"I feel you." Nott said.

She could imagine the man smiling as he spoke. "I know you do, Nott The Brave."


	2. Sleight of Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a quick look-over by someone else, so hopefully this is better. It also clocks in at almost twice the first chapter! Exciting.

Back in Yussa's lab, Caleb wanted to pace. He wanted to make sure he wasn't surrounded. He wanted to have a hand on every single one of his friends to make sure they didn't leave his sight. 

"Hand me the gem." Yussa said. "I'll put him up, and we'll get rid of his body. I can't thank you enough for this."

Caleb felt a tug and glanced down. He softened, and let Nott lean against his side. With her head leaned onto his hip, her hip pressed to his knee, and her arm sneaking up under his shirt so her bare hand was against his own skin. One of his favorite things about her was her willingness to be touchy, offering him something to focus on when his mind was scrambled. He let his hand drift down to her head, fingers running through her braid of hair while everyone settled. The gem was being handed off to Yussa, and then the elven mage would destroy Halas' body. It would be fine.

"There's nothing in here." Yussa said.

Caleb's fingers froze, locking around Nott's braid in a sudden death grip. If Nott noticed, she didn't make any indication that she did.

"What do you mean there's nothing in there?" Caleb asked. Nott rubbed a circle into his back, and he took a deep breath to combat the creeping panic.

"I mean this is simply a very expensive gem, one that would be a very valuable asset in casting spells, but there is nothing in here." Yussa said. "Which is... incredibly problematic." And with a flourish of his hands, he cast a spell and began pacing about.

Sharp eyes scanned every inch of Halas' things laid about, including the body, but Yussa found nothing. He made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat and flung the ruby next to the heirloom sphere. "Nothing. There's no necromancy or anything here. I'll need to search the rest of the tower, see where this bastard's hiding now. You all- stay here and grab anything that looks suspicious." Yussa commanded, and swept out of the room. 

Caleb let go of Nott's braid and wrung his hands through his hair. "Can you locate object on a soul? Should we destroy the body right now, in case he tries to jump in it right away?" Caleb asked.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that." Halas said.

Dead silence. Sometime in the flourish of activity Halas body rose, and there the wizard stood in his full glory. When his body was limp and he was only a voice and eyes in a ruby he wasn't so intimidating, but now Caleb wanted to shrink back. There was a kind of veneer powerful wizards wore, the kind of swagger that came from a person knowing they could destroy you with a wave of their hand. Caleb was too familiar with the look, fearing it and hating when he knew it applied to him.

Halas smiled at the lot of them, quietly amused in a way that made Caleb want to take a step back. "It feels so nice to be out of that gem for the first time in so long." Halas mused. "There's something inherently wrong about being in a body that doesn't fit."

Caleb stepped forwards and blocked Nott from the man's line of sight as it swept towards them. If Halas noticed, he didn't make any indication that he did. "How did you get out?" Caleb asked. "Were you lying the whole time, and waited until you could get out?"

"Of course not, if I could get out I would have before now." Halas scoffed. "Really, Widogast, you're a smart young man. What do you think?"

Caleb's heart was hammering in his chest. His eyes skipped off of Halas to the rest of the party. Fjord never spoke to Halas, and Caduceus never expressed any interest in communicating. Beau was a woman of her word, but she seemed determined to not let Halas get the better of her. Jester was no stranger to deals, what with her relationship to The Traveler, but what did Halas have that Jester might make this kind of bargain for?

Nott's hand on his back slipped down to hang by her side. Her body was still a warm long of connection against his, something he was grateful for. She was one of the few people who could get away with touching him in high-stress moments like this.

Halas reached out and traced a finger over the heirloom sphere, his gaze questioning. "I know you were all very close to backing out of our deal and destroying my body. A lesser man would have you all destroyed for such plotting, but since you were so kind as to help me, I will disregard that, take what's mine, and leave."

Caleb took a step forwards, hands tensing with a prepared skill. He made sure Nott was behind him as he did so. What he needed to do was stall until Yussa could come back and find a way to re-contain the wizard.

Beau was the first one to speak. "Hey, hey, we don't need to be so hasty. See, this was what we were afraid of, and the fact you're not torching us this moment means we miscalculated."

Halas smiled a crooked and sly smile, yellow eyes fixating on Beau. "Ah, I know that voice. Beau, yes? You were the one who spoke to me the most. You were also the one who asked if I would have built golems for the purpose of intercourse."

Beau winced. "Yeah, I guess I did do that, didn't I. How about we- we just calm down?"

"I am perfectly calm. Your companions could stand to simmer down." Halas tossed the last comment in Caleb's direction. Caleb wanted so badly to broil the smug expression off of his face, but he refrained for the moment. Nott's hand was on the back of his knee, anchoring him at the moment.

Jester chimed in. "To be fair, that was my idea to ask you."

Halas' gaze flitted to her next. "Jester, I assume? One of the three voices I've heard so far." His eyes scanned each of them. "Men, I must say, compared to the women of your group you're all a bit... soft in comparison. Was I so intimidating?"

It was clear that Caduceus and Fjord had no idea how to feel about that comment while Caleb bristled.

"It's not that, we just thought you would try to steal a male body for yourself." Nott said.

Halas' eyes fixed on where her voice came from, as if he could see her through Caleb's body. "And Nott The Brave! That accounts for everyone. And who are these others? You never introduced yourselves to me."

Halas was going to pretend they didn't speak. Caleb wasn't sure if he should expose the man's lie of omission.

"My name's Fjord." Fjord sent a questioning look towards Jester, and the woman shrugged.

"Caduceus Clay, nice to meet you." Caduceus said as cool and collected as ever.

Caleb didn't bother, and Halas didn't even spare him a glance.

The doors flew open again as Yussa stormed back in. "I've scoured everywhere he could be, and there's no sign of-" He stopped.

Halas made a show of glancing around. "You were looking for necromancy, when you should have thought about the enchantment I was using to hide my breathing." Halas said. "No wonder you were prepared to destroy me, you have a smaller mind than some I've known."

Yussa flexed his hands. "If you know what's good for you, you'll surrender and you won't fight me. Whatever you did to get out of there will come to light and I'll stuff you right back in there." He threatened.

"Fucking hell." Nott said. She was shaking like a leaf behind him, even as her hand was an iron grip on his leg.

Caleb agreed and took a few steps back. The last thing he wanted was to be a casualty between a battle of archmages. He wrapped a hand around Nott's arm, tugging her back with him.

Halas tilted his head to the side. "You know that's not realistic, yes? It'd be a shame to kill me before I can finish what I've been working on."

Nott wouldn't go. She was still shaking, but took a deep breath and stilled the tremors. "Stop! Yussa, it wasn't him, alright? It wasn't a trick of his."

Caleb felt his heart plunge into his stomach. "Nott." He said. No, she wouldn't confirm his fears, would she? She had something else to say. She knew who it was that did it. It was Jester, or Beau, or Fjord, or Caduceus, or-

"It was me." Nott let go of Caleb and took another step towards the two wizards. "Alright? We made a deal with him. We said that if he helped us we would let him go and I wasn't about to go back on that and make us a new enemy. And- he promised that he'd help with- with something of my asking."

"Nott." Caleb said, his voice hard with fear. "This man is very dangerous beyond understanding. You saw what it was he made, we can't trust him just like that." He insisted.

Nott turned to him then, eyes hard like glimmering amber. "I know, I was there." She said through gritted teeth, and turned back to Halas, taking another few steps forward. Caleb wanted to dive after her and yank her back to him, but she was out of arm's reach and Caleb was still frozen sick with shock and fear. "I did as you said. Don't make me regret it, please."

Halas' smile was indulging. "Of course not, my brave friend. As you know, the spell you need is incomplete."

Nott's jaw clenched harder as she strode towards the man with purpose. "I'm aware. What else do you need from me?" Nott was within arm's reach of Halas now, her hands on her hips as she looked up at him.

"Time." He said. "Time and indulgence, Nott. I have my own repairs to do to my home, things to pick up, and to finish that spell in a way you need it isn't as urgent as those things. I apologize, but I must be pragmatic."

Nott's hands clenched. "You promised."

Halas reached a hand out and put a hand on her shoulder and Caleb was seeing red. "I know, I am sorry, I wish I could-"

"Get AWAY from her." Jester demanded. Caleb looked over at the woman, torn from his fixation on his life partner. Her arms were shaking, fists clenched, but readied with magical fury. Fjord looked otherwise prepared, Caduceus was still relaxed even as he was flexing his fingers around a spell as well. Beau looked less prepared, but she had a hand on her staff ready to whip it out in a moment. If Nott would just back away, Caleb could turn that bastard into a pile of cinders with help from everyone else.

Nott said something quietly enough that no one other than Halas could hear, and the wizard's eyes lit up. "Good idea, Nott." He said, and with a flourish his hand was dripping with wisps of something powerful and ugly. "If any of you make a move towards me, your dear little Nott here will suffer, and you don't want that. Do you?" He asked.

Nott made no move to escape, but kept her eyes fixed on the ground as she stood next to Halas. Caleb couldn't read her. He should be able to read her. She was a terrible liar, he should know. She wasn't. He didn't.

Shit.

"Nott." Caleb tried to keep his voice steady. "Nott, please. We were working on this together, yes? I won't ask anything of you, we can do this without him. Honor the agreement, sure, fine, I promise I'm not angry with you. It's fine. I can do this for you. We can do this together. You don't need him."

Nott looked at him with another expression he couldn't read. Caleb wanted to cry at it. She was only across the room from him, but already she felt so far away. "He already has an outline of what I need." Nott said. "You don't have to waste your time and effort on me, like this. This is the best alternative. I- you don't need to be responsible for fixing me anymore. I promise." She looked to Halas again. "Right?"

"Finding you once it's finished might be a problem." Halas mused. "Goblins don't live very long, do they? Even if I alter the time in my halls, I worry if you'd still be around then."

That son of a bitch was using Nott's fears against her. Nott was a big target right now, and it was the only thing keeping him from trying his best to murder the man.

"Though..." Halas said. "I do need to learn about this new world. If you came with me, I would make this spell a priority. We could learn from each other, Nott the Brave."

Nott recoiled. "So it wouldn't be a priority if I didn't come with you, then?" She asked.

Halas' smile was all the answer she needed.

She took a hesitant step back. "I can't be away from my friends that long."

"It doesn't have to be that long for them, my brave friend." Halas said. "Think. A year in the halls is only a little more than two weeks outside of them, and I could slow it down even more."

Nott's mouth screwed up in thought. "I just wanted to honor our deal. If you can't honor your side... I don't know. I'll be pissed."

"I want to honor my side, Nott." Halas' voice was smooth. Everyone around Caleb stood frozen in place. They were too scared of the menace dripping from Halas' hands that were still pointed right towards their friend. "This is the best way to do so. I would hate to be an oathbreaker towards you. I just... need another mind. Another voice. Feedback. You could be a very important piece of the completion." Halas coaxed.

Caleb could tell the exact moment Nott agreed, and that was the moment Caleb cast a fireball aimed behind the wizard. It would catch him in the blast but leave the flames so they would only lick at Nott. Fuck Yussa's study.

The spell fizzled out in his hands, leaving his outstretched hand smoking. The bastard counterspelled him! Halas dropped the veneer of politeness, yellow eyes cold and calculating. "Now now, if my obliterating Nott wasn't an empty threat, that would have spelled very badly for your friend."

The room was rapidly turning against Halas, and the older wizard seemed like he could tell.

"Nott, come on, you don't need to do this." Jester said, and took a step forward. "Just- just get over here! Snap out of it! Are you charmed? Is that it? Come on, we can't lose you too."

The guilt on Nott's face was too natural for it to be a charm.

The woman in question was trying very hard not to cry. She was reminded of a time long ago in what was in another life. When she sent her husband and child ahead of her, and she stayed behind to take the punishment of a lifetime. Except this time she was choosing out of pure selfishness. It wasn't a punishment. It was a reward for a deception. Her heart ached to see Caleb so devastated, Caduceus so disappointed, Jester so desperate, Fjord so shocked, and Beau so angered. She deserved it all, but if Halas wasn't lying she would be back. She would be changed and perfect and she would do her best to be forgiven. And if they rejected her... she didn't know. She didn't think they would. Like, Yasha, they would forgive Yasha.

Except Yasha had no choice, did she?

Halas moved behind her to the table where the ruby and the heirloom sphere sat, and Nott followed on his heels. "I think this has gone on long enough." Halas said. With one hand he plucked the sphere from it's place, and the other hand took the ruby. He crouched down then so he was on Nott's level, a move Caleb did frequently enough that Nott leaned into the gesture on instinct alone. Except this wasn't Caleb. Halas smelled like dust and felt like the kind of raw power Nott felt when Caleb cast a powerful spell, except he wasn't even doing anything. He was just that powerful. Halas. Ambitious. Smart. Powerful. Exactly what she needed. She was sure this was breaking Caleb's heart, making everyone lose trust in her, but it had to be done. They had to understand that this was what she needed more than anything. This body wasn't even a gem, but Halas understood better than any of them could. This wasn't her body. That gem wasn't any way to live, trapped and not yourself. She didn't regret letting Halas go yet.

Halas folded the ruby into her hand, and then his hand was ghosting down her wrist to wrap firmly around her arm. He pulled her, and she went until his mouth was close to her ear. "This is yours. A thousand of these wouldn't begin to cover my thanks, but we can start here." His breath was warm, tickling against her sensitive ear to the point it twitched. "Will we go now?"

Nott nodded once.

She pretended she couldn't hear her friends screaming after her.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if Halas is as manipulative as I think he is but this is free real estate as far as I'm concerned.
> 
> this all started in the widobrave server where we were talking about Nott being able to fuck it up with knives and crossbows, do magic, and basically being a magic anomaly made her wizard catnip, and also me wanting to write Halas being manipulative and a terrible enabler (thank u Bravest) inspired me to make it a multi-parter.


End file.
